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Remember when Austin Powers was frozen? He went into the ice in 1967, then came out in 1997, with no clue as to the current workings of the times. Cellphones, technology, a lack of free love and promiscuity. Imagine doing that today, cryogenically freezing oneself, and coming back decades from now. From a surfing standpoint, with things going the way they are, it would be quite different.

Namely, with the rise of wave pools and new projects popping up practically on the daily, the world of synthetic surfing would be much more prevalent, with manmade waves breaking across the globe.

One of the latest pools in the United States, which recently got unanimous approval from the city council, is eTown, located in Jacksonville, Florida. According to the Jacksonville Daily Record, “Council voted 18-0 on legislation granting a rezoning request for the 55.27-acre mixed-use development in eTown, where plans by global surf park creator Aventuur and area partners center on a wave-generating lagoon that offers up to 1,000 waves an hour. Council member Tyrona Clark-Murray was not present for the vote.”

But it’s not just the pool, which will be powered by Wavegarden, as many of these projects are. The price tag of the facility is estimated up to $100 million, and that comes with all the bells and whistles.

Per Aventuur, the folks building the thing, “In addition to the surfing lagoon, the Jacksonville Surf Park will also feature a high-performance surf academy, boutique hotel, health and wellness center, beach club, quality food and beverage offering, retail stores and event space. The phased masterplan allows for an exciting mix of entertainment, retail, multifamily residential and green spaces in the future.”

So, when’s it gonna open? Now with the approval, it’s all systems go.

Aventuur added: “Subject to further regulatory approvals, construction is expected to commence in 2026, ahead of the Jacksonville Surf Park opening to the public in the fourth quarter of 2027.”

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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